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McLaren formulating five-year driver plan - Boullier

McLaren is formulating a three-to-five year driver plan and has told its drivers they will have to wait before learning whether they will be included.

The futures of Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen are not secure beyond the end of this season and, since his return to power, Ron Dennis is keen to put in place a long-term plan for the team's drivers. Button, who joined the team in 2010, admitted at the weekend that it is an "unusual situation", but Boullier has told his drivers to accept the situation despite the lack of clarity on their future.

"I guess it's unusual because we are coming out of August and not having a firm commitment from the team," Boullier told a McLaren phone-in with journalists. "We are working on the strategy for the driver line-up for the next years. For me it's important to say years because we are looking for three years and maybe five years.

"It's true with Ron being back since January and me being new to the team we have asked for a little bit more time than necessary, but we can afford this time. Even if it is uncomfortable for the drivers, which I understand, we have to put our priorities [first]."

Boullier admitted McLaren had not delivered a good enough car to its drivers this year, but that both Button and Magnussen are doing a "very good job".

"They have performed better than we could have expected. First of all we didn't give them a good enough car and of course and as you know the worse the car is the more difficult it is to drive. So I think we are now trying to bring performance as fast as we can.

"In terms of driving I think both drivers did a very good job. Kevin had a podium in the first race and obviously went through a few experiences which are part of the learning process. In the case of Jenson he is super professional and he delivered everything we could out of the car I think."